Ritual

A ritual (or a rite) is a set of actionspeople do. In a ritual, the actions are important because every action stands for a particular thing. Rituals are always done in very similar ways. Very often, rituals have a religious significance and are prescribed by a religion or traditions of a community. Danger might be involved in carrying out the ritual. When the ritual has been performed successfully, it is usually followed by a celebration.

Rituals can mark a passage or a change. For example, some rituals show that a boy has become a man.